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MissouriHB18712026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Modifies provisions relating to elections

Sponsored By: Peggy McGaugh (Republican)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

17 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 5 costs, 2 mixed.

More people under felony supervision can vote

People on probation or parole for felonies outside the law's listed offenses are no longer barred by this voting rule. Those with listed convictions remain barred until finally discharged. The list covers Missouri chapters 566 and 573 and sections 565.020, 565.021, 565.050, 565.052, 565.072, 565.079, 568.020, 568.045, and 569.160.

Disability absentee voting lists stay private

Election authorities must keep permanent-disability absentee application lists confidential. They cannot display these lists in public areas or show them to unauthorized people.

More voting options for eligible voters

Eligible in-person absentee voters without accepted ID can cast provisional ballots at election offices or other authorized locations. They must complete an affidavit; counting requires identity verification through photo ID or signature matching, plus confirmation of eligibility. Covered voters eligible to register and vote in Missouri can submit federal postcard absentee applications at election offices on election day. Covered interstate former residents can vote there that day only for presidential and vice presidential electors. Covered new residents can do the same after registering in their new jurisdiction.

Donors control recurring political payments

Covered recurring political donations require active consent; leaving a prechecked box checked does not count. Receipts must explain payment frequency, duration, and cancellation, and committees must stop deductions canceled before the next scheduled payment. Donations collected against these rules must be returned immediately. The Missouri Ethics Commission can impose penalties up to 100 times the contribution. Candidate and ballot-measure payments end after the election, except payments to primary winners can continue through the general election.

Political donors see where money goes

Political donation requests must clearly name the committee that benefits. They must state the percentage it receives and identify any business or other entity receiving a share. This covers continuing, campaign, political party, exploratory, and candidate committees. Requests from a continuing committee's connected organization are exempt.

Campaign money covers childcare and security

Candidates and officeholders can use campaign contributions for childcare caused directly by campaigning or public duties. The childcare cost must not have arisen otherwise, and payment cannot go to someone in their household. Contributions can also pay personal security expenses for elected officeholders. These are allowed campaign expenses, not public childcare or security benefits.

Election notices gain mail and email options

After advance notice, officials can submit election notices by email or fax before 5:00 p.m. on the tenth Tuesday before election day. The law removes the three-business-day requirement to deliver original and certified notices after faxing. For covered elections, legal notices must generally appear twice within six weeks before election day, subject to statutory exceptions. Instead, authorities can mail notice within six weeks to registered voters at their voting addresses, plus publish once in county newspapers. They can exclude voters designated inactive from that mailing.

Election officials must test counting equipment

Election authorities must test automatic vote-counting equipment at least 14 days before an election. For elections using an electronic voting system, the test must also occur at least one week before election day.

Some lobbyists can keep local campaigns

Lobbyists generally must dissolve their candidate committees when registering to lobby. A lobbyist can keep a committee for county, municipal, or school board office if not registered to lobby that jurisdiction. That committee can spend only on the person's candidacy or purposes allowed when dissolving a candidate committee.

Local bonds gain certainty after contest deadlines

For state auditor review, covered local general obligation bonds are treated as meeting election-law conditions after the contest period expires. No election contest can have been filed. This applies to bonds from counties, townships, cities, towns, villages, school districts, and special districts.

Campaign committees face tighter investment limits

Candidate, campaign, debt-service, and exploratory committees must keep their funds easy to access. Allowed investments include short-term Treasury instruments and bank certificates lasting one year or less. Instruments allowing withdrawal anytime with no penalty beyond lost interest are also allowed, as are interest-bearing checking accounts. Continuing committees, political party committees, and other committees not formed for one candidate or ballot issue are exempt.

Campaign money faces tighter use limits

Committees cannot use contributions to give money to another candidate committee; lawful gifts to political organizations remain allowed. Candidates, former candidates, and officeholders cannot use campaign money for court-ordered restitution or fines resulting from convictions. After their death, remaining campaign funds go to Missouri's general revenue fund when their estate is finally settled. If no estate is opened, the funds go to the state 12 months after death.

Certain city candidates must prove taxes paid

Candidates for offices performing county functions in a Missouri city outside any county must file a tax affidavit. They must attach official tax receipts or no-tax-due statements and collector statements showing all taxes due are paid and not delinquent. Election authorities must review these records and the required tax-payment affirmation. The law does not change tax rates or amounts owed.

Local and write-in candidates face deadlines

Where law or charter sets no filing dates, covered local candidate filing opens at 8:00 a.m. on the sixteenth Tuesday before election day. It closes at 5:00 p.m. on the thirteenth Tuesday before election day. A state or federal holiday moves closing to 5:00 p.m. on the next non-holiday day. Write-in candidates must declare intent by 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday before election day for votes to count. That requirement now also applies when no candidate has filed for the office.

Public bodies cannot fund election advocacy

Political subdivisions, special districts, and charter schools cannot use public funds to support or oppose candidates or ballot measures. They also cannot use public money to pay related committees' debts or obligations. Officials remain free to make public appearances or issue press releases about candidates or measures. Purposeful violations are class four election offenses, punishable by up to one year in jail, a $2,500 fine, or both.

Exploratory campaigns face spending and refund rules

Exploratory committees can spend only to decide whether someone will run, including specified polling, communications, appearances, office, and travel costs. They cannot give money to other candidate committees. If the person declares for the office being explored, funds can transfer to their candidate committee and count toward reporting and contribution limits. Otherwise, remaining funds must be returned to donors in proportion to their contributions. No return can exceed the donor's contribution or be less than $10.

Polling-place campaign rules extend to absentee voting

Restrictions near polling places cover campaigning about current and future elections, include petitioning, and apply during in-person absentee voting. Election authorities can set a 50-foot buffer for specified activities after posting public notice at least six weeks before the election. Candidates who are not voting and campaign signs remain allowed within 25 feet.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Peggy McGaugh

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Sherri Gallick

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 386 • No: 116

House vote • 5/12/2026

Reported Do Pass

Yes: 7 • No: 0

House vote • 5/12/2026

House Adopts - SS SCS, as amended

Yes: 104 • No: 44

House vote • 5/12/2026

Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed

Yes: 101 • No: 47

Senate vote • 5/11/2026

Third Read and Passed with Amendments - SA 2 to SA 2, SA 3 to SA 2, SA 2, as amended, SA 1 To SA 3, SA 3, as amended, HA 4, adopted

Yes: 25 • No: 6

House vote • 4/2/2026

Third Read and Passed

Yes: 128 • No: 17

House vote • 3/3/2026

Reported Do Pass

Yes: 8 • No: 1

House vote • 1/27/2026

HCS Reported Do Pass

Yes: 13 • No: 1 • Other: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Delivered to Secretary of State (G)

    7/13/2026House

  2. Approved by Governor (G)

    7/13/2026House

  3. Delivered to Governor

    5/28/2026House

  4. Signed by President Pro Tem

    5/28/2026Senate

  5. Signed by House Speaker

    5/28/2026House

  6. House Message

    5/12/2026House

  7. Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 101 NOES: 47 PRESENT: 0

    5/12/2026House

  8. House Adopts - SS SCS, as amended AYES: 104 NOES: 44 PRESENT: 0

    5/12/2026House

  9. Taken Up

    5/12/2026House

  10. Reported Do Pass - AYES: 7 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0

    5/12/2026House

  11. Voted Do Pass

    5/12/2026House

  12. Executive Session Completed

    5/12/2026House

  13. Referred: Fiscal Review

    5/12/2026House

  14. Reported to the House with... - SS SCS, as amended

    5/12/2026House

  15. Third Read and Passed with Amendments - SA 2 to SA 2, SA 3 to SA 2, SA 2, as amended, SA 1 To SA 3, SA 3, as amended, HA 4, adopted AYES: 25 NOES: 6 PRESENT: 0

    5/11/2026Senate

  16. SS Adopted

    5/11/2026Senate

  17. SS Offered

    5/11/2026Senate

  18. Taken Up for Third Reading

    5/11/2026Senate

  19. Placed on Informal Calendar

    5/7/2026Senate

  20. SCS Reported Do Pass

    4/28/2026Senate

  21. SCS Voted Do Pass

    4/20/2026Senate

  22. Executive Session Held

    4/20/2026Senate

  23. Public Hearing Held

    4/13/2026Senate

  24. Public Hearing Scheduled - Monday, April 13, 2026, 2 p.m., Senate Lounge - 3rd Floor

    4/13/2026Senate

  25. Second read and referred: Local Government, Elections and Pensions

    4/8/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • Truly Agreed

    5/12/2026

    PDF

  • Perfected

    3/31/2026

    PDF

  • Committee Substitute

    1/27/2026

    PDFPDF

  • Senate Substitute

    1/27/2026

    PDF

  • Introduced

    1/7/2026

    PDF

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